THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Conrad Weiser to Richard Peters
(Lancester, August 4, 1748)
Weiser, Conrad in: Pennsylvania
Archives, First Series,
Vol. II, pp. 11-12.
I was favoured with yours of the 30 of last month. Included was the Instruction of the Council concerning the Governor of South Carolinas affair, and I perceive the people that have been killed and Carried of in Carolina, must have ben Killed by the Sinickers, in Company with some French praying Indians. The particular words Andrew told me are thus: That after the Commissionrs had mentioned the affair to the Indians at the last treaty here in Lancester, the young Shawano Chief Lawack Kamicky, told Andrew, that it was well known that some of the foresaid Indians, to wit, Sinickers and Praying Indians that come from the warr this spring, had killed some white people. So farr Andrew told me, and told me further that I might depend upon the truth of the storry; but, however I will inquire further, and will let you know if I can learn more before I set out from George Croghans.
I have bought the goods of G. Croghan, ordered by the Commissioners for the Twichtwees, and have this day delivered his Bill with all the rest to Thomas Cookson, to be sent to you. The Charges runs very high, yet I cannot see of which Bill I could Cut of, and must leave them to the Government. As to the number of Indians, and the time they have been within the inhabitant part, & in Lancaster, I am satisfied the Bills are right. The Nontikook Indians have been very troublesome to us. They were like so many wolfs, and I had no Influence on them upon no account. There Came but 18 persons from Ohio, and with the said Nontikooks, and a few Canastoge Indians. The number of Indians here in Lancester, present at the last treaty, amounted to 55 persons, among whom were 4 sick, which gave particular trouble and Charges. The Twicktwees I left in very good thoughts of the English, and I am, for my part satisfied they are sincere in our Interest; and within a year or two, you will see a good many of the farr Inds in Pennsylvania, be it warr or peace. I have given every one of the Indians such present as I was ordered by the Commissioners; that is to say, to the Twicktwees. To the others that conducted them down, I gave to each of them a Strowd match coat, a shirt, a pair of Indian Stocking, a Knife, and a 1/2 Barrel of powder, and 100 lb. of let, one lb. of vermillion betwixt them all. This last I took out of the General present. The Nontikooks stood and looked very dull, because they got nothing. I was quite out of Humour with them, for the disorder they occasioned; yet, upon a second thought, I gave them 25 lb. of powder and 50 lb. of let out of the general present, rather to please the Indians from Ohio (that they might keep what little they had received) than the said Nontikooks, with which they went of, glad to have some thing. I had told them that they were very in- (page 12) discreet people to hunt the Stranger all along without any order or request from the Governor of Pensilvania, or these people themselves, Except two or three of them.
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